Pencil



Apr. 3, 1923.

J. R. FITTON PENCIL Filed Apr.

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,4 TTOHNEYS Figure 2, and

JOHN ROBERT FITTN, 0F WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

PENCIL.

Application' led April 4,

To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, JOHN R. Fi'rfroN,l a citizen of the United States, and resident of VVoonsocket, in-the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencils,.of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in pencils, and it consists in the combinations,

constructions and arrangements herein describedand claimed.

An object of my invention is to vprovide a pencil having a tubular barrel or casing and a novel -means for projecting and retracting a removable lead beyond the forward'end of the casing as desired. e

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described that is simple in construction and consists of relatively few parts. l v

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described that can' be conveniently o erated, is not likely to get out of order easily, and is thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part' of this application, in which- -Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the device,

Figure 3 is a section .along the line 3-3 of Figure 4 is a detail perspective of an element of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a tubular barrel or outer casing 1 that is open at its rearward end and arranged to taper at its forward end to a central or axial opening 2. The barrel 1 is made of any suitable material, such as a light metal. Disposed within the barrel 1 is an inner tubular sleeve member 3 on which is rotatably mounted an intermediate sleeve 4. The inner tubular' member 3 is formed with a flange orannular shoulder 5 at its forward end provided with integral forwardly extending spaced apart springl arms 6 adapted to engage an equal number of spring arms 7 that are integral withvthe .body portion of a clip that is rigidly secu-red within the barrel 1, as

1921. VSerial No. 458,423.

clearly shown inFigures 2 and 3. It is to be'observed that the flange 5 extends outwardly to the innerwall of the barrel 1 when the arms 5 are engaged by the arms 7 so that theintermediate sleeve 4 abuts at its forward end the flange 5. As'shown in Figure 3, each spring arm 7 of the clip con.

` gitudinal y extending slot 11 thereinthrough which protudes a threaded portion' 12 of a substantially rectangular screw plunger 13 disposed in the inner tubular member 3. The threaded portion 12 -of thev plunger 13 engages the threads 14 provided inthe inner wall of the intermediate sleeve 4. A lead holding tubular member 15 is integral with the plunger 13 and arranged to extend forwardly of the latter, beingl concentric with respect to the inner tubular member 3. The lead holding member'l .is slitted atl 16'to firmly hold a length of lead 17 that is inserted into the open end thereof'. lThe inner tubular member 3 projects rearwardly beyond the intermediate sleeve 4 and a retain` ing spring ring 18 is slipped over the end thereof against the end of the intermediate sleeve 4 whereby the latteris held against longitudinal movement relative to the inner The barrell terminates tubular member.l short ofthe -intermediate sleeve at its rearward lend andan operating thimble 19 is fix-V ed on the projecting portion of thel intermediate sleeve 4 and isrotatably mounted on and in substantial alinement with the barrel 1. The meeting ends of the thimble 19 and the barrel 1 are formed with cooperating frictionally engaging lapped annularextensions 20 and 21 respectively, so that rotation of the thimble 19 will occasion a like movement ofthe 'intermediate' sleeve 4.

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A- cap 22 is fittedupon the end of the thimble 19 and may enclose a removable cylindri cal eraser 23 that is disposed in the bore of the thimble 19.

From the foregoing description of the van rions parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The inner tubular member 3 is held against rotation relative to the barrel 1 on account of the engagement of the spring members 6 with the clip having the cooperating spring arms or lugs 7. The intermediate sleeve 4 .is rotatable and is held against longitudinal movement since it abuts at one end against the flange 5 of the inner tubular member and is engaged at its other end by the spring ring 8. Obviously, rotation of the thimble 19 will occasion a movement, of the plunger 13 forwardl until the lead holding member 15 is exten ed adjacent to the opening 2 and the lead 17 will thus be held in operative position. Rotation of the thimble 19 in the opposite direction will occasion the retraction of the lead holdingy member 15 `and consequently the lead 17 may be withdrawn into the casing and thereby protected. It is important to note that the device consists of relatively few parts and that these parts may be readily assembled. Furthermore, the device is not likely to get out of order easily since the relatively movable parts are held against play while functional movements thereof are freely permitted.

I claim:

1. A pencil comprising an outer casing, an inner Casing having a longitudinal slot ltherein and being removably carried by said outer casing, means carried by said outer casing for preventing the rotation of said inner casing with respect thereto, a third casing rotatably disposed between said inner and outer caslngs and having its interior wall threaded, a lead plunger slidably carried by said inner casing and'projecting into said slot, said plunger having threads engaging with the threads of said rotated casing, and a partition disposed between the ends of said inner casing, thus providing a lead receiving compartment in said inner casing.

2. In a pencil, a tubular barrel, an inner tubular member disposed within the barrel, a rotatable sleeve disposed on the inner tubular member, and means for releasably locking the inner tubular member against movement relatively to the barrel.

3. In a pencil, a tubular barrel, an inner tubular member disposed within the barrel, a rotatable sleeve dlsposed on the inner tubular member, and co-engaging means respectively carried by the barrel and vformed integrally with the inner tubular member for releasably locking the latter against movement relatively to the barrel.

4. In a pencil, a tubular barrel, an inner tubular member disposed within the barrel, a rotatable sleeve disposed on the inner tubular member, and co-engaging means respectively carried by the barrel and formed integrally with the inner tubular member for releasably locking the latter against movement relatively to the barrel, and for preventing longitudinal movement in one direction of the rotatable sleeve relatively to the inner tubular member.

5. In a pencil, a tubular barrel tapered at its forward end to a relatively small central opening, an inner tubular member of less diameter than the vinner diameter of the barrel and disposed within the latter concentric therewith, said inner tubular member being provided with an outwardly extending integral flange at its forward end arranged to abut the inner wall of the barrel at a distance from the forward end thereof, said flange having a plurality ofy forwardly extending integral spring fingers. and a clip secured within the barrel at its forward end and provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending spring fingers adapted to engage thel first named spring lingers to releasably hold the inner tubular member against movement relatively to the barrel, and a rotatable sleeve mounted on the inner tubular member.

6. In a pencil, a tubular barrel open at its rearward end and tapered at its forward end to arelatively small central opening` an inner tubular member of less diameter than the inner diameter of the barrel and disposed lwithin the latter concentric therewith, said inner tubular member being releasably connected at its forward end to the barrel, and being formed with a slot into its walls eX- tending longitudinally thereof from a point intermediate its length to a point adjacent to its forward end, a plunger disposed within the inner tubular member and arranged with a portion thereofA extending through the slot exteriorly of the inner tubular member, said protruding portion being provided `with segmental threads, and a sleeve disposed between the inner tubular member and the outer barrel and threaded interiorly for a part of its length for engagement with the threaded portion of the 1tunger.

JOHN RO ERT FITTON. 

